Having recently returned from a journey in East Africa, I thought those who may be anticipating similar travels might be interested in some surprising aspects that had never occurred to my thinking prior to this trip. Traveling with a group, we visited Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Tanzania  (including Zanzibar) with an overnight in South Africa. We were scheduled to visit Zambia on a day trip but did not, the reason revealed later in this list. Being forewarned is being forearmed as the saying goes! All of these revelations are intended as good tips for planning your experience there.

I) Africa Is Huge

I’ll admit I should, and probably did at some level, know better. But actually encountering the travel distances involved really brought the fact home that Africa is a huge continent. One expected a long flight from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in the north to Johannesburg in South Africa but not a four hour flight from there to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Nor was one expecting a long flight from Victoria Falls to Nairobi in Kenya! Coming from a large country (think Canada or the USA), one tends to forget the size of Africa and the distances between countries there. Out of the nineteen days of this trip (of which 16 were spent on the actual African continent), our group spent approximately four days just in airports or land travel between hotels/resorts. 

2) Visas and Park Fees

Visas and park fees are a necessary fact of travel when going on a safari. (Note though that South Africa currently requires no visas if you are North American.) Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, and Tanzania do require visas. Read each individual country requirements carefully before booking  your journey. I was expecting US$30 to enter Zimbabwe but the US resident pays this, the lowest, amount. Canadians are charged US$75 single entry! Brits pay US$60.  Our half-day Zambia visit was scrapped due to the relatively high cost of this visa and the long wait times at customs to re-enter Zimbabwe.

Park fees can also add up. Luckily, they formed part of our tour cost; however, be aware if a park changes its entrance fee, it does not necessarily grandfather in the lesser amount you already paid your tour company. Our Maasi Mara park fees doubled shortly before the trip from $400 to $800 per person and were not grandfathered. Our tour company stepped up and paid half this extra cost but yours may not.

Warthog aka “lion’s sausage”

Cheetah, well-hidden & resting

Grey crowned crane: National bird of Uganda

3) It’s Really Dry (Before the Rain!)

Our tour was one week before the rainy season was scheduled to begin and it was very dry. One did not expect to see so many trees with very few leaves in Zimbabwe; however, we were told the area was experiencing some drought as well. You marvel how the wildlife can survive but they do. Some of our best encounters with giraffes and elephants were in the region of the Falls so do not discount this place as only a “Victoria Falls” attraction.

Amboseli took the word “dry” to a whole new level. There were dust devils here, there, and everywhere. It is probably the one place where I appreciated the tour vehicles were the enclosed model with the “pop-up” tops. The amount of vehicles in the park created clouds of dust especially when the guides were racing to leave the park in the early evening before it closed. You were fined an extra day if you were not out of the park by close.

4) Baboons and Monkeys Anyone?

The amazing variety of wild animals available to be seen on safari from Victoria Falls was mentioned. What was remarkable were the baboons everywhere you looked, in broad daylight, on the streets of Victoria Falls. We were warned if eating on the street and approached by a baboon, it was best to drop your food and walk away rather than get in an ownership battle with a baboon!

Our beautiful and grand hotel had an outdoor restaurant. Monkeys would raid the establishment for the sugar packets, amusing as a tourist but no doubt frustrating for management. In Amboseli, our resort was over run with monkeys so our room doors were to be kept locked at all times; otherwise, the monkeys knew how to open doors and would steal the sugar packets from the in-room coffee station. This warning was brought home within five minutes of entering our room but luckily, I was standing behind the door and able to slam it shut as a robber monkey opened it. A scream from next door indicated a couple of Japanese ladies were not as quick. 

A baboon

Sugar packet bandits

5) Open vs Enclosed Safari Jeeps?

Before the trip, I was very nervous knowing on some game drives there would be “open” vehicles. What would prevent an animal attack? This model of vehicle does not have doors or windows although there is a roof to provide shade, hence “open”. An enclosed safari vehicle had doors and windows with the roof popping up about a foot so you could stand and look around, unhindered. Having experienced both types, I can definitely say that I prefer the former which is exactly the opposite of what I expected. 

Your guide will never allow you to be subject to any danger. These guides are extremely knowledgeable about the animals they “hunt” and have spent, in many cases, years on this job. Having an open-sided jeep is wonderful for not only viewing but also taking photos or video. The seats are stacked high to low. A closed-sided jeep has dusty windows, even if they are relatively clean when you start out. To view out the open space at the top, you must be on the taller side as standing on seats is prohibited. It’s just awkward and confining in many cases.

A couple of other points: some open-sided vehicles are somewhat of a challenge to get in and out being higher off the ground, so this type may not be suitable for folks with mobility issues. But once seated, one will be there for most, if not all, of the drive as rarely are you allowed outside your vehicle. The only time I appreciated the closed vehicle was in Amboseli as the dust was overwhelming.

An open-sided safari jeep

An “pop-top” safari jeep (Don’t tell – I was standing on a seat!)

6) Amboseli – Okay If It Is Your Only Game Drive

When we were leaving Little Governors Camp in Kenya to fly to Amboseli for the next series of drives, we met a couple coming from there doing our itinerary in reverse. Asked what to expect of our next stop, the lady just replied “Dusty” and nothing else. One soon found out that dusty would be the highlight.

I expected to enjoy every stop on the journey but this was the one place that could have been omitted from the itinerary and never missed. It was beyond dusty, the wildlife were more of the same we’d seen under better conditions (except for the flamingos), the vehicles were close-sided, and the resort staff offhand. Even the robber monkeys got to be more of a nuisance than a novelty.

However, if you like car races this is the place to be in on the action. The park closes at 6:30 PM (fines if you are late), the roads have really deep ruts everywhere (think 6 or more inches), and there are a lot of vehicles in the park at any one time. I lost count at 45 the number of jeeps gathered in one spot and jocking for position to see a couple of lions. At about 6:20 PM, all these many vehicles race to the exit, sometimes four abreast, on deeply rutted roads, with clouds of dust billowing around them. I can see having a wildlife “accident” but I really wasn’t interested in going all that way to Africa to have a vehicle accident. Anyone who has seen a car at speed getting wheels caught in different ruts – it springs up in the air, and then down it comes (the bad part). It just wasn’t what we expected as part of a game drive.

A small portion of an Amboseli “traffic jam”!

7) It’s Very Cold, And Then, It’s Not

If your tour company says dress in layers, and perhaps bring gloves and a toque (knitted hat), do so. You are up before the sun rises on the first drive of the day and it is cold. Luckily most guides bring lap blankets. Once the sun arrives, it does get progressively warmer to downright hot by about mid day. But until you are out for a few hours, you appreciate warm clothing and a blanket, especially as you are sitting in your safari jeep and not physically active.

I did not expect the cold even after being warned but brought a fall/spring type jacket, and knitted gloves and hat anyway. I confess to never wearing the gloves but loved that blanket every morning!

8) Because It Gets Hot …

Imagine my surprise to see a few of my houseplants growing wild. ( I live in a temperate climate so you, depending where you live, might not be surprised at what I saw.) I was sitting on a second-story balcony of a resort restaurant admiring a tree at my eye level when it suddenly occurred to me that what I was seeing was a poinsettia. A poinsettia where I live is only found in pots with foliage/blooms 15 to 16 inches high at best. That was a shock.

And I did not expect to see morning glory growing wild. I have this vine growing as a pest at home throughout my flower beds and impossible to eradicate. It was like seeing an old “friend”.

Poinsettia “tree”

It’s cold at 6 AM especially up in the air!

9) Wildebeest … and More Wildebeest

You hear of the great migration but until you see wildebeest as far as the eye can see, it’s impossible to imagine what it looks like. That’s what happened at Maasi Mara – hordes of these beasts with zebra mixed amongst the herds. Wildebeest really are as stupid-looking as they are portrayed in cartoons but considering they thrive in the thousands,  they cannot be as stupid as they appear in this land of lions and other predators.

I expected to see wildebeest, elephants, giraffes, lions, water buffalo, zebras, hyenas, hippos and vultures but was ever so happy to see cheetahs, ostriches, rhinos, gazelles, impalas, many beautiful birds, and more as well. Sadly, I wanted to see a leopard but did not, so it was the “big four” instead of the “big five”. Don’t get your expectations up that you will see all five.

Close-up of some wildebeest kicking up the dust at a water hole

10) Nairobi

We spent two nights in Nairobi, a modern city of approximately eight million, with a very modern road system – just like every other large city. What I did not expect was the absence of traffic lights. Our guide casually remarked that there were maybe three or four in the city. I do not know if he exaggerated but I do know I kept watch from then on and there were no lights!

I don’t think I could drive in Nairobi.

Feeding the giraffes at the Giraffe Center near Nairobi

My advice for your Africa journey:

• If you are going on safari to several different parks, there’s no need to go to Amboseli.
• Fly rather than drive as the distances are long and your vacation time is short.
• If you do visit Amboseli and travel onwards to Tanzania (or reverse), the roads are terrible in this part of Kenya. Be prepared.
• Try to stay at least 3 days ( max. 5 days) in a camp. Little Governors Camp was a highlight, and there are others. Even though it may be a “tent” (it’s like glamping), you feel safe.
• If you want to choose between seeing Victoria Falls and “supposedly” going on a safari, don’t despair, as you will see a wide variety of wildlife on a game drive in this area. So go to Victoria Falls! It’s a win-win.
• Take the hot air balloon ride if available. You won’t regret it.
• Keep a list of all the animals you see as you may not be able to get a good photo record. Ditto, the birds as they are varied and beautiful.
• You can pack a lot in 35 lbs. of carry-on luggage (a restriction on the small aircraft). Get a portable luggage scale and be surprised.
• Carry a portable charger as you will be taking photos and videos with your phone, and not all safari jeeps will have a charger (s) built in.
• If you are going all that way to Africa, don’t cut corners, especially with your guides. The guides can make or break your experience.  (Hats off to Big Boy in Victoria Falls and Oliver in Little Governors Camp.)
• Lastly, contact your real travel expert to put this bucket list trip all together for you!

Happy safari (Swahili for “journey”)!

Video and most images courtesy of Real Travel Experts/Compass Media.
A big thank you to Roy Bruner for his fabulous close-ups of the wart hog, cheetah, and baboon, and to Cruise & Travel Specialists for contributing to this bucket list adventure.